The Narrative of Marie le Roy and Barbara Leininger, for Three Years Captives among the Indians

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Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger. 407

THE NAEEATIVE OP MAEIB LB EOY AND BAEBAEA
LEININGEE, FOE THEBB YBAES CAPTIYBS AMONG
THE INDIANS.

[In the library of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a rare
little pamphlet, Die | Erzehlungen | von [ Maria le Eoy | und
Barbara Leininger. | Welche vierthalb Jahr unter den In | dianern
gefangen gewesen, und am 6 ten May | in dieser Stadt gliicklich
angekommen. | Aus ihrem eignen Munde nie der geschrieben und | zum
Druck befordert. | Philadelphia gedruckt und zu haben in der teut
| schen Buchdruckerey das Stiick vor 6 Pentz. | M.DCCLIX. | which
gives an account of the captivity and escape of these two girls, whose
families lived on Penn's Creek, in the present Union County, Penna.
The translation was made by the late Et. Eev. Edmund de Schweinitz,
of Bethlehem, and the few annotations by the Ed. Penna. Mag.]

Marie le Roy was born at Brondrut, in Switzerland.
About five years ago she arrived, with her parents, in this
country. They settled fifteen miles from Fort Schamockin. 1
Half a mile from their plantation lived Barbara Leininger
with her parents, who came to Pennsylvania from Reut-
lingen, about ten years ago. 2

Early in the morning of the 16 th of October, 1755, while
le Roy's hired man went out to fetch the cows, he heard the
Indians shooting six times. Soon after, eight of them came
to the house, and killed Marie le Roy's father with toma-
hawks. Her brother defended himself desperately, for a
time, but was, at last, overpowered. The Indians did not
Mil him, but took him prisoner, together with Marie le
Roy and a little girl, who was staying with the family.
Thereupon they plundered the homestead, and set it on fire.
Into this fire they laid the body of the murdered father, feet
foremost, until it was half consumed. The upper half was

*Jean Jaques Le Eoy came to Pennsylvania on the ship Phcenix, Capt.
E. Horner, from Eotterdam via Cowes, Nov. 22, 1752.

'Sebastian Leininger, aged 50, with his family, arrived Sept. 16,
1748, on the ship Patience, Capt. John Brown.

408 Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger.

left lying on the ground, with the two tomahawks, with
which they had killed him, sticking in his head. Then they
kindled another fire, not far from the house. "While sitting
around it, a neighbour of le Roy, named Bastian, happened
to pass by on horseback. He was immediately shot down
and scalped.

Two of the Indians now went to the house of Barbara
Leininger, where they found her father, her brother, 1 and
her sister Regina. Her mother had gone to the mill. They
demanded rum ; but there was none in the house. Then
they called for tobacco, which was given them. Having
filled and smoked a pipe, they said : " We are Alleghany
Indians, and your enemies. You must all die ! " There-
upon they shot her father, tomahawked her brother, who
was twenty years of age, took Barbara and her sister Regina
prisoners, and conveyed them into the forest for about a
mile. There they were soon joined by other Indians, with
Marie le Roy and the little girl.

Not long after several of the Indians led the prisoners to
the top of a high hill, near the two plantations. Toward
evening the rest of the savages returned with six fresh and
bloody scalps, which they threw at the feet of the poor
captives, saying that they had a good hunt that day.

The next morning we were taken about two miles further
into the forest, while the most of the Indians again went
out to kill and plunder. Toward evening they returned
with nine scalps and five prisoners.

On the third day the whole band came together and di-
vided the spoils. In addition to large quantities of provis-
ions, they had taken fourteen horses and ten prisoners,
namely : One man, one woman, five girls, and three boys.
We two girls, as also two of the horses, fell to the share of
an Indian named Galasko.

We traveled with our new master for two days. He was
tolerably kind, and allowed us to ride all the way, while he
and the rest of the Indians walked. Of this circumstance
^ohn Conrad Leininger.

Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger. 409

Barbara Leininger took advantage, and tried to escape.
But she was almost immediately recaptured, and condemned
to be burned alive. The savages gave her a French Bible,
which they had taken from le Boy's house, in order that she
might prepare for death ; and, when she told them that she
could not understand it, they gave her a German Bible.
Thereupon they made a large pile of wood and set it on
fire, intending to put her into the midst of it. But a young
Indian begged so earnestly for her life that she was par-
doned, after having promised not to attempt to escape
again, and to stop her crying.

The next day the whole troop was divided into two
bands, the one marching in the direction of the Ohio, the
other, in which we were with Galasko, to Jenkiklamuhs, 1 a
Delaware town on the "West branch of the Susquehanna.
There we staid ten days, and then proceeded to Puncksoto-
nay, 2 or Eschentown. Marie le Roy's brother was forced to
remain at Jenkiklamuhs.

After having rested for five days at Puncksotonay, we
took our way to Kittanny. 3 As this was to be the place ot
our permanent abode, we here received our welcome, accord-
ing to Indian custom. It consisted of three blows each, on
the back. They were, however, administered with great
mercy. Indeed, we concluded that we were beaten merely
in order to keep up an ancient usage, and not with the in-
tention of injuring us. The month of December was the
time of our arrival, and we remained at Kittanny until the
month of September, 1756.

The Indians gave us enough to do. We had to tan
leather, to make shoes (mocasins), to clear land, to plant
corn, to cut down trees and build huts, to wash and cook.

1 ChinMacamoose, the central point of the great " Chinklacamoose
Path," on the present site of Clearfield.

*Punxmtawny, in Jefferson County.

s Kittanning, in Armstrong County, through which passed the great
trail, by which the Indians of the West communicated with those of the
Susquehanna country.

410 Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger.

The want of provisions, however, caused us the greatest
sufferings. During all the time that we were at Kittanny we
had neither lard nor salt ; and, sometimes, we were forced to
live on acorns, roots, grass, and bark. There was nothing
in the world to make this new sort of food palatable, except-
ing hunger itself.

In the month of September Col. Armstrong arrived with
his men, and attacked Kittanny Town. 1 Both of us hap-
pened to be in that part of it which lies on the other (right)
side of the river (Alleghany). We were immediately con-
veyed ten miles farther into the interior, in order that we
might have no chance of trying, on this occasion, to escape.
The savages threatened to kill us. If the English had ad-
vanced, this might have happened. For, at that time, the
Indians were greatly in dread of Col. Armstrong's corps.
After the English had withdrawn, we were again brought
back to Kittanny, which town had been burned to the
ground.

There we had the mournful opportunity of witnessing the
cruel end of an English woman, who had attempted to flee out
of her captivity and to return to the settlements with Col.
Armstrong. Having been recaptured by the savages, and
brought back to Kittanny, she was put to death in an un-
heard of way. First, they scalped her; next, they laid
burning splinters of wood, here and there, upon her body ;
and then they cut off her ears and fingers, forcing them into
her mouth so that she had to swallow them. Amidst such
torments, this woman lived from nine o'clock in the morn-
ing until toward sunset, when a French officer took com-
passion on her, and put her out of her misery. An English
soldier, on the contrary, named John . . . . , who escaped
from prison at Lancaster, and joined the French, had a
piece of flesh cut from her body, and ate it. "When she
was dead, the Indians chopped her in two, through the
middle, and let her lie until the dogs came and devoured her.

'In August of 1756, Col. John Armstrong fitted out his expedition at
Fort Shirley. The Delaware war-chief, Capt. Jacobs, lived in the town.

Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger. 411

Three days later an Englishman was brought in, who had,
likewise, attempted to escape with Col. Armstrong, and
burned alive in the same village. His torments, however,
continued only about three hours; but his screams were
frightful to listen to. It rained that day very hard, so that
the Indians could not keep up the fire. Hence they began
to discharge gunpowder into his body. At last, amidst his
worst pains, when the poor man called for a drink of water,
they brought him melted lead, and poured it down his
throat. This draught at once helped him out of the hands
of the barbarians, for he died on the instant.

It is easy to imagine what an impression such fearful in-
stances of cruelty make upon the mind of a poor captive.
Does he attempt to escape from the savages, he knows in
advance that, if retaken, he will be roasted alive. Hence he
must compare two evils, namely, either to remain among
them a prisoner forever, or to die a cruel death. Is he fully
resolved to endure the latter, then he may run away with
a brave heart.

Soon after these occurrences we were brought to Fort
Duquesne, where we remained for about two months. "We
worked for the French, and our Indian master drew our
wages. In this place, thank God, we could again eat bread.
Half a pound was given us daily. We might have had
bacon, too, but we took none of it, for it was not good. In
some respects we were better off than in the Indian towns ;
we could not, however, abide the French. They tried hard
to induce us to forsake the Indians and stay with them,
making us various favourable offers. But we believed that
it would be better for us to remain among the Indians, in as
much as they would be more likely to make peace with the
English than the French, and in as much as there would be
more ways open for flight in the forest than in a fort.
Consequently we declined the offers of the French, and ac-
companied our Indian master to Sackum, 1 where we spent
the winter, keeping house for the savages, who were continu-
l Saukunkt, 8 miles below Logstown.

412 Narrative of Marie Le Hoy and Barbara Leininger.

ally on the hunt. In the spring we were taken to Kasch-
kaschkung, an Indian town on the Beaver Creek. There
we again had to clear the plantations of the Indian nobles,
after the German fashion, to plant corn, and to do other
hard work of every kind. We remained at this place for
about one year and a half.

After having, in the past three years, seen no one of our
own flesh and blood, except those unhappy beings, who,
like ourselves, were bearing the yoke of the heaviest slavery,
we had the unexpected pleasure of meeting with a Ger-
man, who was not a captive, but free, and who, as we heard,
had been sent into this neighbourhood to negotiate a peace
between the English and the natives. His name was Fred-
erick Post. 1 We and all the other prisoners heartily wished
him success and God's blessing upon his undertaking. We
were, however, not allowed to speak with him. The Indians
gave us plainly to understand that any attempt to do this
would be taken amiss. He himself, by the reserve with
which he treated us, let us see that this was not the time to
talk over our afflictions. But we were greatly alarmed on
his account. For the French told us that, if they caught
him, they would roast him alive for five days, and many
Indians declared that it was impossible for him to get safely
through, that he was destined for death.

Last summer the French and Indians were defeated by
the English in a battle fought at Loyal-Hannon, 2 or Fort
Ligonier. This caused the utmost consternation among
the natives. They brought their wives and children from
Lockstown, 3 Sackum, Schomingo, Mamalty, Kaschkasch-
kung, and other places in that neighbourhood, to Mosch-
kingo, 4 about one hundred and fifty miles farther west.
Before leaving, however, they destroyed their crops, and
burned everything which they could not carry with them.

Christian Frederick Post, the Moravian missionary.

% Loyalhanna.

3 Logstown.

i Muskingum.

Narrative of Mark Le Boy and Barbara Leininger. 413

We had to go along, and staid at Moschkingo the whole
winter.

In February, Barbara Leininger agreed with an English-
man, named David Breckenreach [Breckenridge],to escape,
and gave her comrade, Marie le Roy, notice of their inten-
tions. On account of the severe season of the year, and the
long journey which lay before them, Marie strongly advised
her to relinquish the project, suggesting that it should be
postponed until spring, when the weather would be milder,
and promising to accompany her at that time.

On the last day of February nearly all the Indians left
Moschkingo, and proceeded to Pittsburg to sell pelts. Mean-
while, their women traveled ten miles up the country to
gather roots, and we accompanied them. N Two men went
along as a guard. It was our earnest hope that the oppor-
tunity for flight, so long desired, had now come. Accord-
ingly, Barbara Leininger pretended to be sick, so that she
might be allowed to put up a hut for herself alone. On the
fourteenth of March, Marie le Roy was sent back to the
town, in order to fetch two young dogs which had been left
there ; and, on the same day, Barbara Leininger came out
of her hut and visited a German woman, ten miles from
Moschkingo. This woman's name is Mary . . . . , and she
is the wife of a miller from the South Branch. 1 She had made
every preparation to accompany us on our flight ; but Bar-
bara found that she had meanwhile become lame, and could
not think of going along. She, however, gave Barbara the
provisions which she had stored, namely, two pounds of
dried meat, a quart of corn, and four pounds of sugar.
Besides, she presented her with pelts for mocasins. More-
over, she advised a young Englishman, Owen Gibson, to flee
with us two girls.

On the sixteenth of March, in the evening, Gibson reached
Barbara Leininger's hut, and, at ten o'clock, our whole
party, consisting of us two girls, Gibson, and David Breck-
enreach, left Moschkingo. This town lies on a river, in the
'South Branch of the Potomac.

414 Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger.

country of the Dellamottinoes. "We had to pass many huts
inhabited by the savages, and knew that there were at least
sixteen dogs with them. In the merciful providence ot
God not a single one of these dogs barked. Their barking
would at once have betrayed us, and frustrated our de-
sign.

It is hard to describe the anxious fears of a poor woman
under such circumstances. The extreme probability that
the Indians would pursue, and recapture us, was as two to
one compared with the dim hope that, perhaps, we would
get through in safety. But, even if we escaped the Indians,
how would we ever succeed in passing through the wilder-
ness, unacquainted with a single path or trail, without a
guide, and helpless, half naked, broken down by more than
three years of hard slavery, hungry and scarcely any food,
the season wet and cold, and many rivers and streams to
cross? Under such circumstances, to depend upon one's
own sagacity would be the worst of follies. If one could
not believe that there is a God, who helps and saves from
death, one had better let running away alone.

"We safely reached the river [Muskingum] . Here the first
thought in all our minds was : ! that we were safely across !
And Barbara Leininger, in particular, recalling ejaculatory
prayers from an old hymn, which she had learned in her
youth, put them together, to suit our present circumstances,
something in the following style :

O bring us safely across this river !

In fear I cry, yea my soul doth quiver.

The worst afflictions are now before me,

Where'er I turn nought but death do I see.

Alas, what great hardships are yet in store

In the wilderness wide, beyond that shore !

It has neither water, nor meat, nor bread,

But each new morning something new to dread.

Yet little sorrow would hunger me cost

If but I could flee from the savage host,

Which murders and fights and burns far and wide,

While Satan himself is array'd on its side.

Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger. 415

Should on us fall one of its cruel bands,

Then help us, Great God, and stretch out Thy hands !

In Thee will we trust, be Thou ever near,

Art Thou our Joshua, we need not fear.

Presently we found a raft, left by the Indians. Thanking
God that He had himself prepared a way for us across these
first waters, we got on board and pushed off. But we were
carried almost a mile down the river before we could reach
the other side. There our journey began in good earnest.
Full of anxiety and fear, we fairly ran that whole night and
all the next day, when we lay down to rest without ventur-
ing to kindle a fire. Early the next morning, Owen Gibson
fired at a bear. The animal fell, but, when he ran with his
tomahawk to kill it, it jumped up and bit him in the feet,
leaving three wounds. "We all hastened to his assistance.
The bear escaped into narrow holes among the rocks, where
we could not follow. On the third day, however, Owen
Gibson shot a deer. We cut off the hind-quarters, and
roasted them at night. The next morning he again shot a
deer, which furnished us with food for that day. In the
evening we got to the Ohio at last, having made a circuit of
over one hundred miles in order to reach it.

About midnight the two Englishmen rose and began to
work at a raft, which was finished by morning. We got on
board and safely crossed the river. From the signs which
the Indians had there put up we saw that we were about one
hundred and fifty miles from Fort Duquesne. After a brief
consultation we resolved, heedless of path or trail, to travel
straight toward the rising of the sun. This we did for seven
days. On the seventh we found that we had reached the
Little Beaver Creek, and were about fifty miles from
Pittsburgh.

And now, that we imagined ourselves so near the end of
all our troubles and misery, a whole host of mishaps came
upon us. Our provisions were at an end ; Barbara Leinin-
ger fell into the water and was nearly drowned ; and, worst
misfortune of all ! Owen Gibson lost his flint and steel.

416 Narrative of Marie Le Boy and Barbara Leininger.

Hence we had to spend four nights without fire, amidst rain
and snow.

On the last day of March we came to a river, Alloquepy, 1
about three miles below Pittsburg. Here we made a raft,
which, however, proved to be too light to carry us across.
It threatened to sink, and Marie le Roy fell off, and narrowly
escaped drowning. "We had to put back, and let one of our
men convey one of us across at a time. In this way we
reached the Monongahella River, on the other side of Pitts-
burg, the same evening.

Upon our calling for help, Col. [Hugh] Mercer immediately
sent out a boat to bring us to the Fort. At first, however, the
crew created many difficulties about taking us on board.
They thought we were Indians, and wanted us to spend the
night where we were, saying they would fetch us in the
morning. "When we had succeeded in convincing them
that we were English prisoners, who had escaped from the
Indians, and that we were wet and cold and hungry, they
brought us over. There was an Indian with the soldiers in
the boat. He asked us whether we could speak good In-
dian ? Marie le Roy said she could speak it. Thereupon
he inquired, why she had run away ? She replied, that
her Indian mother had been so cross and had scolded
her so constantly, that she could not stay with her any
longer.

This answer did not please him ; nevertheless, doing as
courtiers do, he said: He was very glad we had safely
reached the Fort.

It was in the night from the last of March to the first of
April that we came to Pittsburg. Most heartily did we
thank God in heaven for all the mercy which he showed
us, for His gracious support in our weary captivity, for the
courage which he gave us to undertake our flight, and to
surmount all the many hardships it brought us, for letting
us find the road which we did not know, and of which He
alone could know that on it we would meet neither danger

x AUegheney.

Narrative of Marie Le Boy and Barbara Leininger. 417

nor enemy, and for finally bringing us to Pittsburgh to our
countrymen in safety.

Colonel Mercer helped and aided us in every way which
lay in his power. Whatever was on hand and calculated to
refresh us was offered in the most friendly manner. The
Colonel ordered for each of us a new chemise, a petticoat, a
pair of stockings, garters, and a knife. After having spent
a day at Pittsburg, we went, with a detachment under com-
mand of Lieutenant Mile, 1 to Fort Ligonier. There the
Lieutenant presented each of us with a blanket. On the
fifteenth we left Fort Ligonier, under protection of Captain
[Philip] Weiser and Lieutenant Atly, 1 for Fort Bedford,
where we arrived in the evening of the sixteenth, and re-
mained a week. Thence, provided with passports by Lieu-
tenant [Henry] Geiger, we traveled in wagons to Harris'
Ferry, and from there, afoot, by way of Lancaster, to Phila-
delphia.

Owen Gibson remained at Fort Bedford, and David Breck-
enreach at Lancaster. "We two girls arrived in Philadelphia
on Sunday, the sixth of May.

And now we come to the chief reason why we have given
the foregoing narrative to the public. It is not done in
order to render our own sufferings and humble history
famous, but rather in order to serve the inhabitants of this
country, by making them acquainted with the names and
circumstances of those prisoners whom we met, at the various
places where we were, in the course of our captivity. Their
parents, brothers, sisters, and other relations will, no doubt,
be glad to hear that their nearest kith and kin are still in
the land of the living, and that they may, hence, entertain
some hope of seeing them again in their own homes, if God
permit.

Maria Basket is at Kaschkaschkung. She was taken
prisoner on the Susquehanna, where her husband was killed.

'Lieut. Samuel Miles, of the "Augusta Regiment," Col. William
Chapman.

'Lieut. Samuel J. Atlee.
vol. xxix. — 27

418 Narrative of Marie Le Boy and Barbara Leininger.

She lias two sons. The younger is with his mother ; the
elder is in a distant Indian town.

Mary Basket's sister, — her name is Nancy Basket, — is at
Sackum.

Mary, Caroline, and Catharine Haeth, 1 three sisters,
from the Blue Mountains.

Anne Gray, who was captured at Fort Gransville, 2 is at
Kaschkaschkung. "We saw her daughter, but she has been
taken farther west by the Indians.

John Weissman, a young unmarried Englishman, about
eighteen years of age, is now at Moschkingo. He is said to
have been captured on the South Branch.

Sarah Boy, David Boy, Rhode Boy, Thomas Boy, and
James Boy, five children. The youngest is about five or six
years old ; Sarah, the oldest, is about fifteen or sixteen years
of age. Three years ago they were captured in Virginia.

Nancy and Johanna Dacherty, two sisters, aged about
ten and six years, captured at Conecocheague, and now in
Kaschkaschkung.

Eve Isaacs, William Isaacs, and Catharine Isaacs. Eve
is a widow, and has a child of about four years with her.
Her husband was killed by the Indians. William is about
fourteen or fifteen years of age, and Catharine about twelve.
They are Germans. Eve and her child, together with
Catharine, are in Kaschkaschkung; William in Moschkingo.
They were captured on the South Branch.

Henry Seiffart, Elizabeth Seiffart, George Seiffart,
Catharine Seiffart, and Maria Seiffart, brothers and
sisters, Germans, captured about thirteen months ago, at
Southport, in Virginia, are now at Kaschkaschkung and
Moschkingo.

Betty Rogers, an unmarried woman, with five or six
brothers and sisters, of whom the youngest is about four
years old, captured three and a half years ago, on the South
Branch.

1 Hoeth, of Northampton County.

'Fort Granville, one mile west of Lewistown, on the Juniata.

Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger. 419

Betty Frick, a girl about twenty-two years old, captured,
three years ago, in Virginia, now in Kaschkaschkung.

Fanny Flardy, from Virginia, married to a Frenchman.
Her daughter, seven or eight years old, is at Kasch-
kaschkung.

Anna Brielinger, 1 wife of a German smith from Scho-
moko, now at Kaschkaschkung.

Peter Lixe's 2 two sons, John and William, German
children from Schomoko, now in Kitahohing.

An old Englishman, or Irishman, whose surname we do
not know, but whose Christian name is Dan, a cooper,
captured on the Susquehanna, now in Kaschkaschkung.
His wife and children are said to be in this country.

Elizabeth, a young English woman, captured about a
mile and a half from Justice Gulebret's [Galbraith] place,
on the Swatara. Her child, which she took along, is dead.
Her husband and other children are said to be living some-
where in this country. She is at Kaschkaschkung.

Marie Peck, a German woman, captured, two and a half
years ago, in Maryland. Her husband and children are
said to be living somewhere in this country.

Margaret Brown, a German single woman, captured on
the South Branch, in Virginia, now in the country of the
Oschaschi, a powerful nation, living, it is said, in a land
where there is no timber.

Mary Ann Villars, from French Switzerland, a girl of
fifteen years, was captured with Marie le Roy, has a brother
and sister living near Lancaster.

Sally "Wood, a single woman, aged eighteen or nineteen
years, captured in Virginia, three and a half years ago, now
in Sackum.

Two young men, brothers, named Ixon, the one about
twenty, the other about fifteen years old, at Kaschkasch-
kung. Their mother was sold to the French.

l Wife of Jacob Brielinger who lived on Penn's Creek, below New
Berlin, in Union County.
•Peter Lick, of Penn's Creek.

420 Narrative of Marie Le Boy and Barbara Leininger.

Mary Lory and James Lory, brother and sister, the first
about fourteen, the second about twelve or thirteen years
old, captured three years ago, at Fort Granville.

Mary Taylor, an English woman, captured at Fort
Granville, together with a girl named Margaret.

Margaret, the girl captured with the foregoing.

"We became acquainted with many other captives, men,
women, and children, in various Indian towns, but do not
know, or cannot remember their names. We are, however,
heartily willing to give to all such as have, or believe to
have, connections among the Indians, any further informa-
tion which may lie within our power. "We intend to go
from here to Lancaster, where we may be easily found.